Crisis Management 101: The first step in fixing public perception is do something that positively impacts the public. This is what Plaxico attempted to do in attending Kevin Powell's fundraiser the other night. I don't disagree with the strategy, but I wonder if it did any good other than giving Powell's event some otherwise absent media attention. It might help him get some points with the judge and that will be good. I don't believe he will do anyone any good going to jail. Shooting himself is probably all the punishment he needed and possibly loosing out on some hefty pay. I just PRAY...this is the final wake up call he needs to get it together. Unfortunately, I think he may have stayed asleep a minute too long. We shall see.
Burress attends fundraiser for homeless at New York club
Associated Press
Giants receiver Plaxico Burress attended a charity fundraiser for the homeless at a New York City nightclub two weeks after accidentally shooting himself in the right thigh.
Burress arrived at Kevin Powell's 8th Annual Holiday Party and Clothing Drive at the Madison nightclub around 8:45 p.m. on Friday with his wife, Tiffany, and son, Elijah.
The suspended Super Bowl hero refused to discuss the Nov. 29 shooting at the Latin Quarter nightclub that led to criminal possession of a weapon charges and his suspension for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs for conduct detrimental to the team.
"I'm just here to support this event, it's a great event, and I thought it'd be a great chance to get my wife out, and my son out, and support such a great event where it helps kids, homeless kids," Burress said in a transcript provided by WNBC-TV of New York City. "This is a wonderful thing for us to come out and be able to help people and we can lend a helping hand. I have a child, I have a son, I couldn't imagine him being in that situation, so that's why I brought him also."
Burress talked about the event when asked if he was remorseful in the wake of the shooting or was thinking about his teammates.
Benjamin Brafman, Burress' attorney, did not immediately return a telephone call by The Associated Press seeking comment on his client's appearance, which is believed to be his first since being arraigned on illegal gun possession charges on Dec. 1.
Burress shot himself at the Latin Quarter when he accidentally pulled the trigger on the .40-caliber Glock that was in his pants after fumbling a drink.
Teammate Antonio Pierce took the 31-year-old who caught the game-winning pass in the Super Bowl to New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center for treatment.
The hospital suspended the doctor who treated Burress for failing to report the shooting to police.
Pierce, the Giants middle linebacker, also was questioned by police a week after the shooting for failing to report the incident, and his decision to bring the gun back to New Jersey after leaving the hospital.
Police say Pierce gave the gun to Burress' wife after returning home.
Burress pleaded not guilty and was released on $100,000 bail. He is due back in court March 31.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
ESPN - New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress attends homeless fundraiser
12.13.2008
12.11.2008
Magic Johnson has magic touch in business, too - USATODAY.com
Magic Johnson is the poster child for what Off-The-Field Branding: Professional and Personal Management, LLC, a subsidiary of MWPR, Inc. looks to do to help more athletes create success off the court/field.
By Matt Krantz,
USA TODAY
BEVERLY HILLS — Almost nobody would question Earvin Johnson's skill on the basketball court. But in his second career as an entrepreneur, there were doubters from the start.
Johnson, best known by his nickname "Magic," remains one of the best players to ever don the gold and purple Los Angeles Lakers uniform. Johnson was the star point guard and a key to the Lakers' domination in the 1980s, helping to hand the team five NBA championships. An oversize copy of his No. 32 jersey hangs above the Lakers' home court.
But despite his towering 6-foot-9-inch stature and vise-grip handshake, at first glance, Johnson didn't seem like such a natural in the boardroom.
Executives he pitched on a business idea developed when still a player — opening high-quality movie theaters and restaurants in inner-city neighborhoods — often didn't see what he saw. Instead, "they saw me as just a basketball player," he says from inside his modestly decorated offices in Beverly Hills.
In his recently released book, 32 Ways to be a Champion in Business, Johnson wrote that executives would "hand me a basketball and ask for an autograph, but they did not want to hear my pitch for investing in neighborhoods populated by blacks."
Johnson, 49, isn't your typical buttoned-up executive. He sits comfortably reclined in his chair, speaks casually, and freely flashes his trademark smile. Retired from basketball following his stunning 1991 announcement that he had contracted HIV, Johnson has focused on succeeding in a business world where many former athletes have failed.
But Johnson says he had a dream and a concrete plan. While traversing the urban hearts of cities in team buses to basketball games, he saw boarded-up businesses and a lack of retail outlets. He told himself he'd help revive some of those neighborhoods when he could, he says.
And that's the magic of Magic. While other executives steered clear of urban areas, Johnson saw opportunity. His business plan, his overtime performance after basketball, was to bring established retail brands to the inner cities by tailoring them to the residents.
From experience comes business
It's that niche that has morphed Magic Johnson from a name on the back of a basketball jersey into a brand in its own right. Magic Johnson Enterprises is a private company that owns or helps operate companies ranging from more than a dozen 24 Hour Fitness centers, more than 100 Starbucks locations, food service companies, a T.G.I. Friday's in Los Angeles and other businesses across the country. The company also has a private investment arm, with $1 billion in cash, which Johnson says will help the company expand, especially now that real estate can be bought at low prices.
It's just as Johnson saw it. The inner-city market was a big opportunity for someone with the knowledge to go after it, he says. "I knew that because I lived it. I just turned it into a business."
It's hard to summarize the swath of Johnson's businesses, as they range from food service to job placement and coffee. But the common theme of most is the marriage of his name alongside another well-known brand. Together, Johnson and another company enter urban markets that some have long avoided.
The Magic touch is taking chains with a familiar formula that plays well in the suburbs, and tailoring them so they fit the customers and tastes of the inner city. Rather than having to drive to the suburbs, residents can stay put and frequent Johnson's local twist on a national chain. Completing the circle, Magic Johnson Foundation, Johnson's philanthropic arm, invests in the community by building computer centers and other social services, helping to build goodwill with the residents.
Johnson is scarce on the details on precisely what the things are that he does to make his version of chains different that those in the suburbs, or in his words, "Magicize" it.
But he uses an example to describe how the first Starbucks he opened in Los Angeles is different than others in the sprawling chain. Johnson noticed many regular customers at the Starbucks gathered to play chess. It was a scene reminiscent of the casual chess tournaments that take place in inner-city parks.
So Johnson bent the corporate rules to make the chess players more welcome. After getting approval from Starbucks, he installed several picnic tables outside that not only captured the vibe of the chess tournaments but also let the local residents know they were welcome. Now, the Starbucks draws a loyal following of chess players, who lure friends and other chess players, he says.
Burger King restaurants that Johnson owns are also a little different. Customers hear Magic Johnson's voice on the loudspeaker in the drive-through, instead of a canned anonymous voice.
In plain sight
The fact the inner cities could support mainstream brands may seem evident now, but it was practically revolutionary when Johnson started. Getting investors in the early days of the business was challenging, especially following the riots that tore up Los Angeles following the 1992 Rodney King trial, he says.
Despite the success of his movie theater in Los Angeles, Johnson knew he needed more money to expand to other businesses.
His advisers in 1995 suggested approaching California's massive public pension fund, the California Public Employees' Retirement System (Calpers), for $150 million to develop his first non-theater business, what would be his first Starbucks and T.G.I .Friday's near Los Angeles' South Central neighborhood. He didn't quite get the answer he wanted, though.
Officials at Calpers wanted to know why, if his idea was such a good one, no one else was doing it. That stumped Johnson. "I couldn't answer the question," he says. He'd wondered himself why even the largest U.S. companies were avoiding big potential profits to be made serving urban markets filled with consumers ready to spend but with nowhere to go.
Proof of vision
Eventually, Calpers got on board with $50 million to start. That money helped Johnson finance his dream and show that the concept could work. Another $100 million from Calpers followed shortly after. Johnson's business "has proven to be a successful model," says Calpers spokeswoman Pat Macht.
Johnson is also quick to see opportunities. After several companies called asking for help on ways to tap the inner-city market, he created a consulting and licensing business.
Best Buy, for instance, in February 2008 turned to Johnson for help on operating stores that appeal more to the urban market. "We believe our relationship with Magic Johnson Enterprises will help us learn and apply fresh perspectives, which can strengthen our business and the communities where we have stores — it makes good business sense," the consumer electronics retailer's spokeswoman Dawn Bryant said in an e-mailed response.
Despite the challenging economy, Johnson says some of the best opportunities are ahead. Magic Johnson Enterprises' capital management business, for instance, raised, but didn't deploy, $1 billion last year. "Cash is king," he says, adding that he's constantly approached by real estate investors looking to sell choice properties. Downtown areas are especially ripe for investment, he says.
That's not to say it's nothing but net for Johnson, the businessman. Foot traffic is falling at his Starbucks stores as many consumers, not just in urban markets, cut back, he says. Consumers are seeing Starbucks "as a luxury. (Consumers) may only go once a week or not at all," he says. Starbucks warned on Dec. 4 that sales at stores open a year or more have fallen 9% in the U.S. so far in the quarter started in late September.
Johnson, though, has faced difficulty before, and that hasn't stopped him. Starbucks just needs to reconnect with what it does best, he says, and stop "trying to be everything to everybody."
That's really his key advice to entrepreneurs, and something he follows himself. Pick a niche, something you can be good at, and don't stray. "You need to play to your strengths," he says. "My strength is urban America."
Magic Johnson has magic touch in business, too - USATODAY.com
By Matt Krantz,
USA TODAY
BEVERLY HILLS — Almost nobody would question Earvin Johnson's skill on the basketball court. But in his second career as an entrepreneur, there were doubters from the start.
Johnson, best known by his nickname "Magic," remains one of the best players to ever don the gold and purple Los Angeles Lakers uniform. Johnson was the star point guard and a key to the Lakers' domination in the 1980s, helping to hand the team five NBA championships. An oversize copy of his No. 32 jersey hangs above the Lakers' home court.
But despite his towering 6-foot-9-inch stature and vise-grip handshake, at first glance, Johnson didn't seem like such a natural in the boardroom.
Executives he pitched on a business idea developed when still a player — opening high-quality movie theaters and restaurants in inner-city neighborhoods — often didn't see what he saw. Instead, "they saw me as just a basketball player," he says from inside his modestly decorated offices in Beverly Hills.
In his recently released book, 32 Ways to be a Champion in Business, Johnson wrote that executives would "hand me a basketball and ask for an autograph, but they did not want to hear my pitch for investing in neighborhoods populated by blacks."
Johnson, 49, isn't your typical buttoned-up executive. He sits comfortably reclined in his chair, speaks casually, and freely flashes his trademark smile. Retired from basketball following his stunning 1991 announcement that he had contracted HIV, Johnson has focused on succeeding in a business world where many former athletes have failed.
But Johnson says he had a dream and a concrete plan. While traversing the urban hearts of cities in team buses to basketball games, he saw boarded-up businesses and a lack of retail outlets. He told himself he'd help revive some of those neighborhoods when he could, he says.
And that's the magic of Magic. While other executives steered clear of urban areas, Johnson saw opportunity. His business plan, his overtime performance after basketball, was to bring established retail brands to the inner cities by tailoring them to the residents.
From experience comes business
It's that niche that has morphed Magic Johnson from a name on the back of a basketball jersey into a brand in its own right. Magic Johnson Enterprises is a private company that owns or helps operate companies ranging from more than a dozen 24 Hour Fitness centers, more than 100 Starbucks locations, food service companies, a T.G.I. Friday's in Los Angeles and other businesses across the country. The company also has a private investment arm, with $1 billion in cash, which Johnson says will help the company expand, especially now that real estate can be bought at low prices.
It's just as Johnson saw it. The inner-city market was a big opportunity for someone with the knowledge to go after it, he says. "I knew that because I lived it. I just turned it into a business."
It's hard to summarize the swath of Johnson's businesses, as they range from food service to job placement and coffee. But the common theme of most is the marriage of his name alongside another well-known brand. Together, Johnson and another company enter urban markets that some have long avoided.
The Magic touch is taking chains with a familiar formula that plays well in the suburbs, and tailoring them so they fit the customers and tastes of the inner city. Rather than having to drive to the suburbs, residents can stay put and frequent Johnson's local twist on a national chain. Completing the circle, Magic Johnson Foundation, Johnson's philanthropic arm, invests in the community by building computer centers and other social services, helping to build goodwill with the residents.
Johnson is scarce on the details on precisely what the things are that he does to make his version of chains different that those in the suburbs, or in his words, "Magicize" it.
But he uses an example to describe how the first Starbucks he opened in Los Angeles is different than others in the sprawling chain. Johnson noticed many regular customers at the Starbucks gathered to play chess. It was a scene reminiscent of the casual chess tournaments that take place in inner-city parks.
So Johnson bent the corporate rules to make the chess players more welcome. After getting approval from Starbucks, he installed several picnic tables outside that not only captured the vibe of the chess tournaments but also let the local residents know they were welcome. Now, the Starbucks draws a loyal following of chess players, who lure friends and other chess players, he says.
Burger King restaurants that Johnson owns are also a little different. Customers hear Magic Johnson's voice on the loudspeaker in the drive-through, instead of a canned anonymous voice.
In plain sight
The fact the inner cities could support mainstream brands may seem evident now, but it was practically revolutionary when Johnson started. Getting investors in the early days of the business was challenging, especially following the riots that tore up Los Angeles following the 1992 Rodney King trial, he says.
Despite the success of his movie theater in Los Angeles, Johnson knew he needed more money to expand to other businesses.
His advisers in 1995 suggested approaching California's massive public pension fund, the California Public Employees' Retirement System (Calpers), for $150 million to develop his first non-theater business, what would be his first Starbucks and T.G.I .Friday's near Los Angeles' South Central neighborhood. He didn't quite get the answer he wanted, though.
Officials at Calpers wanted to know why, if his idea was such a good one, no one else was doing it. That stumped Johnson. "I couldn't answer the question," he says. He'd wondered himself why even the largest U.S. companies were avoiding big potential profits to be made serving urban markets filled with consumers ready to spend but with nowhere to go.
Proof of vision
Eventually, Calpers got on board with $50 million to start. That money helped Johnson finance his dream and show that the concept could work. Another $100 million from Calpers followed shortly after. Johnson's business "has proven to be a successful model," says Calpers spokeswoman Pat Macht.
Johnson is also quick to see opportunities. After several companies called asking for help on ways to tap the inner-city market, he created a consulting and licensing business.
Best Buy, for instance, in February 2008 turned to Johnson for help on operating stores that appeal more to the urban market. "We believe our relationship with Magic Johnson Enterprises will help us learn and apply fresh perspectives, which can strengthen our business and the communities where we have stores — it makes good business sense," the consumer electronics retailer's spokeswoman Dawn Bryant said in an e-mailed response.
Despite the challenging economy, Johnson says some of the best opportunities are ahead. Magic Johnson Enterprises' capital management business, for instance, raised, but didn't deploy, $1 billion last year. "Cash is king," he says, adding that he's constantly approached by real estate investors looking to sell choice properties. Downtown areas are especially ripe for investment, he says.
That's not to say it's nothing but net for Johnson, the businessman. Foot traffic is falling at his Starbucks stores as many consumers, not just in urban markets, cut back, he says. Consumers are seeing Starbucks "as a luxury. (Consumers) may only go once a week or not at all," he says. Starbucks warned on Dec. 4 that sales at stores open a year or more have fallen 9% in the U.S. so far in the quarter started in late September.
Johnson, though, has faced difficulty before, and that hasn't stopped him. Starbucks just needs to reconnect with what it does best, he says, and stop "trying to be everything to everybody."
That's really his key advice to entrepreneurs, and something he follows himself. Pick a niche, something you can be good at, and don't stray. "You need to play to your strengths," he says. "My strength is urban America."
Magic Johnson has magic touch in business, too - USATODAY.com
12.08.2008
The Playbook: Our Argument
Thanks to CNN/SI Vault the argument for why an initative like The Playbook is needed continues to be strengthened. This is a sad state of affairs for the sports industry as a whole. See for yourself.
http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/gallery/featured/GAL1149498/1/index.htm?bcnn=yes
http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/gallery/featured/GAL1149498/1/index.htm?bcnn=yes
12.05.2008
MWPR Client News
MWPR Client News Report:
Check out Keion Carpenter this Sunday, December 7th at 10:55AM on BET's Bring That Week Back (BET.com/onblast) where he shares his opinions on the Plaxico Burress and OJ Simpson situations.
Athlete Chat:Ex-NFL player Keion Carpenter
by Reeve Cononi
Baltimore is a city full of talent, birthing the careers of high-caliber athletes like Carmelo Anthony, Sam Cassell, and Antonio Freeman. Even while Baltimore has produced several premier professional athletes, the city does not always have the proper resources for student-athletes to receive the necessary exposure to move on past the high school level. Baltimore native and recently retired NFL safety Keion Carpenter looks to bring change to the face of Baltimore and create a doorway for its youth to build successful athletic careers.
At Woodlawn Senior High School, Keion competed as a three-sport athlete in track, basketball, and football. To reach the next level, Keion found recognition early from playing AAU basketball and built a reputation with coaches because of his athleticism. However, it was Keion’s talent in football that began to stand out, and by his junior year, he was a Blue Chip high school All-American and a top-100 player.
After high school, Keion played football for Virginia Tech. He graduated with a Bachelors degree in Residential Property Management and was the school's all-time leading punt blocker. In 1999, Keion signed with the Buffalo Bills as a rookie free agent. Keion had a breakout season in 2000, intercepting five passes for sixty-three yards. In 2002, Keion signed with the Atlanta Falcons and intercepted four passes, returning one for a touchdown.
In 2005, Keion started his own foundation —The Carpenter House, Inc. ("TCH") — before officially retiring in 2007 after an eight-year career in the NFL.
After his retirement, Keion Carpenter became a “man on a mission” with his primary focus on his foundation. Through his foundation, Keion seeks to create opportunities for underprivileged families to become homeowners in the inner-city Baltimore area.
The name Carpenter House represents much more than just a family identity, it represents the lessons and teachings that his grandparents have passed down to him and the rest of the family. The main objective of The Carpenter House is to educate, plan, and prepare people for the future by giving them the necessary means to succeed. The foundation wants to empower individuals by helping them find a job, relieve debt, and manage their credit. What sets The Carpenter House apart from other organizations is that they don’t just give out money, they show people how to keep their house and maintain a stable standard of living.
Keion believes he has the blueprint to teach and encourage anyone who is willing to help themselves.
In keeping with The Carpenter House mission, Keion develops housing for the underprivileged and he expects to have his first home completed by Christmas 2008. However he explained, that even though it doesn’t require much effort to help someone in need, he cannot do it alone.
"Thirty minutes of volunteer work can mean so much to someone who has nothing at all." With a united effort, he hopes to have 50 to 100 homes developed within the next five years. Eventually, Keion would like to have entire blocks and communities developed as a result of his efforts. Keion wants The Carpenter House to become the model for other cities and communities in need of positive change.
It was a dream of Keion’s to take care of his family and to give back to the city of Baltimore. He knows that Baltimore has some of the best athletes in the country, but they are too often overlooked due to poor grades. Keion could not stress enough how important education is and how it became the deciding factor for his future. He wants to make sure younger kids also understand that with the proper focus on education, along with athletic talent, they can open doors to many opportunities.
To spread the message, Keion and his close friend Jerrell Wilson started the For My Kids program. For My Kids mentors and tutors student-athletes to assist them in successfully reaching the next level in life. He wants kids to be students first and athletes second. He believes kids should start taking the SAT's in ninth grade instead of waiting until the 11th grade. This way, they are more prepared to take it during their senior year and will hopefully score higher.
“The bottom line is that colleges have millions of dollars to offer in scholarships. If the kids can do what they are supposed to scholastically, then the good athletes should be all set,” Carpenter said. He also issues this challenge to the students, “If I could do it without help, then you have no excuse not to try your best!”
Carpenter is an excellent role-model not only for inner-city kids aspiring to be professional athletes, but also for other professional athletes looking to make a difference in people's lives. When Keion retired from the NFL, he made a decision to give back to the community where it all started.
Keion Carpenter is clearly making an effort to change Baltimore for the better. However, he cannot do it alone! He needs, and Baltimore needs everyone's help. All you need is compassion, some spare time, and the willingness to do some manual labor. All it takes is one weekend to change someone’s life! If you are looking to get involved as a volunteer, visit The Carpenter House, Inc.'s official website and contact Benkta Robinson at (410) 790-1367.
On behalf of AccessAthletes, we would like to thank Keion for taking time out of busy schedule to do an interview with The Real Athlete Blog. Reeve Cononi can be contacted at reeve@accessathletes.com.
http://www.accessathletes.com/blog/
Check out Keion Carpenter this Sunday, December 7th at 10:55AM on BET's Bring That Week Back (BET.com/onblast) where he shares his opinions on the Plaxico Burress and OJ Simpson situations.
Athlete Chat:Ex-NFL player Keion Carpenter
by Reeve Cononi
Baltimore is a city full of talent, birthing the careers of high-caliber athletes like Carmelo Anthony, Sam Cassell, and Antonio Freeman. Even while Baltimore has produced several premier professional athletes, the city does not always have the proper resources for student-athletes to receive the necessary exposure to move on past the high school level. Baltimore native and recently retired NFL safety Keion Carpenter looks to bring change to the face of Baltimore and create a doorway for its youth to build successful athletic careers.
At Woodlawn Senior High School, Keion competed as a three-sport athlete in track, basketball, and football. To reach the next level, Keion found recognition early from playing AAU basketball and built a reputation with coaches because of his athleticism. However, it was Keion’s talent in football that began to stand out, and by his junior year, he was a Blue Chip high school All-American and a top-100 player.
After high school, Keion played football for Virginia Tech. He graduated with a Bachelors degree in Residential Property Management and was the school's all-time leading punt blocker. In 1999, Keion signed with the Buffalo Bills as a rookie free agent. Keion had a breakout season in 2000, intercepting five passes for sixty-three yards. In 2002, Keion signed with the Atlanta Falcons and intercepted four passes, returning one for a touchdown.
In 2005, Keion started his own foundation —The Carpenter House, Inc. ("TCH") — before officially retiring in 2007 after an eight-year career in the NFL.
After his retirement, Keion Carpenter became a “man on a mission” with his primary focus on his foundation. Through his foundation, Keion seeks to create opportunities for underprivileged families to become homeowners in the inner-city Baltimore area.
The name Carpenter House represents much more than just a family identity, it represents the lessons and teachings that his grandparents have passed down to him and the rest of the family. The main objective of The Carpenter House is to educate, plan, and prepare people for the future by giving them the necessary means to succeed. The foundation wants to empower individuals by helping them find a job, relieve debt, and manage their credit. What sets The Carpenter House apart from other organizations is that they don’t just give out money, they show people how to keep their house and maintain a stable standard of living.
Keion believes he has the blueprint to teach and encourage anyone who is willing to help themselves.
In keeping with The Carpenter House mission, Keion develops housing for the underprivileged and he expects to have his first home completed by Christmas 2008. However he explained, that even though it doesn’t require much effort to help someone in need, he cannot do it alone.
"Thirty minutes of volunteer work can mean so much to someone who has nothing at all." With a united effort, he hopes to have 50 to 100 homes developed within the next five years. Eventually, Keion would like to have entire blocks and communities developed as a result of his efforts. Keion wants The Carpenter House to become the model for other cities and communities in need of positive change.
It was a dream of Keion’s to take care of his family and to give back to the city of Baltimore. He knows that Baltimore has some of the best athletes in the country, but they are too often overlooked due to poor grades. Keion could not stress enough how important education is and how it became the deciding factor for his future. He wants to make sure younger kids also understand that with the proper focus on education, along with athletic talent, they can open doors to many opportunities.
To spread the message, Keion and his close friend Jerrell Wilson started the For My Kids program. For My Kids mentors and tutors student-athletes to assist them in successfully reaching the next level in life. He wants kids to be students first and athletes second. He believes kids should start taking the SAT's in ninth grade instead of waiting until the 11th grade. This way, they are more prepared to take it during their senior year and will hopefully score higher.
“The bottom line is that colleges have millions of dollars to offer in scholarships. If the kids can do what they are supposed to scholastically, then the good athletes should be all set,” Carpenter said. He also issues this challenge to the students, “If I could do it without help, then you have no excuse not to try your best!”
Carpenter is an excellent role-model not only for inner-city kids aspiring to be professional athletes, but also for other professional athletes looking to make a difference in people's lives. When Keion retired from the NFL, he made a decision to give back to the community where it all started.
Keion Carpenter is clearly making an effort to change Baltimore for the better. However, he cannot do it alone! He needs, and Baltimore needs everyone's help. All you need is compassion, some spare time, and the willingness to do some manual labor. All it takes is one weekend to change someone’s life! If you are looking to get involved as a volunteer, visit The Carpenter House, Inc.'s official website and contact Benkta Robinson at (410) 790-1367.
On behalf of AccessAthletes, we would like to thank Keion for taking time out of busy schedule to do an interview with The Real Athlete Blog. Reeve Cononi can be contacted at reeve@accessathletes.com.
http://www.accessathletes.com/blog/
ESPN - O.J. Simpson sentenced to prison for Las Vegas robbery
The Playbook Commentary:
A sad ending to a former sports great. And, so avoidable. OJ's life, legacy and eventual loss, should be used as a case study for ALL student-athletes who aim to play professional sports. As quickly as it is given, it can be taken. Be good stewards over the blessings, try to not to abuse or take advantage of the advantages you are granted. Learn from others mistakes, don't make the same ones. Future professional athletes need to strive to do better than the ones that came before them. There are enough examples of good players going wrong, for whatever the reason.....stop the negative cycle. Create a new trend.
ESPN - O.J. Simpson sentenced to prison for Las Vegas robbery
A sad ending to a former sports great. And, so avoidable. OJ's life, legacy and eventual loss, should be used as a case study for ALL student-athletes who aim to play professional sports. As quickly as it is given, it can be taken. Be good stewards over the blessings, try to not to abuse or take advantage of the advantages you are granted. Learn from others mistakes, don't make the same ones. Future professional athletes need to strive to do better than the ones that came before them. There are enough examples of good players going wrong, for whatever the reason.....stop the negative cycle. Create a new trend.
ESPN - O.J. Simpson sentenced to prison for Las Vegas robbery
12.04.2008
MWPR News
MWPR │News!
Interview with a Sports Professional: Monica Woodby Janelle Finley
AccessAthletes.com
Find full interview at http://www.accessathletes.com/blog/blogdisplay.cfm?blogid=170
Interview with a Sports Professional: Monica Woodby Janelle Finley
AccessAthletes.com
Find full interview at http://www.accessathletes.com/blog/blogdisplay.cfm?blogid=170
12.03.2008
ESPN - New York Giants suspend Plaxico Burress four games after charges
This is just ugly. It is sad. But, it's unfortunately becoming the norm. The facts haven't really changed since the news broke Saturday. However, this situation just continues to have legs and voice. It's a broken record that keeps sounding off prodominently within the NFL. And, now, I am sounding like a broken record....what is the NFL going to do in putting in place a process for long-term practice in order to begin to lessen these blows with other players as they enter in the league? But, let me stop there...I vowed to follow this story through, but probably will not provide too much more commentary. Because there is nothing new to say or suggest.
Just read for yourself....
ESPN - New York Giants suspend Plaxico Burress four games after charges
http://news.google.com/nwshp?tab=wn&ned=us&ncl=1277242740&hl=en&topic=s
Just read for yourself....
ESPN - New York Giants suspend Plaxico Burress four games after charges
http://news.google.com/nwshp?tab=wn&ned=us&ncl=1277242740&hl=en&topic=s
12.01.2008
ToTheCenter - News: Michael Vick the scapegoat of an unequal system
MWPRINCight:
Amen and amen! This sums up this whole situation and where we still are in society pertaining to race and economic relations. It is still a broken system, regardless of who is in the White House. And, until we call it out and deal with it boldly and completely, it will remain broke.
Link to Opinion Piece: ToTheCenter - News: Michael Vick the scapegoat of an unequal system
Earlier this week on Tuesday, the fallen superstar Michael Vick appeared in court for a hearing, to determine the manner of his 23-month sentence that he has been serving in Leavenworth, Kansas, since August 2007. A U.S. federal district court had found him guilty of controlling a dog fighting ring at the home he owned in Surry County, Virginia. This most recent court appearance was to deal with the severity of his crimes, by measuring the remorsefulness of the individual. The subsequent charges were dropped after the judge showed sympathy to Vick’s desperate plea.
He is now scheduled for release on July 20, 2009, as that is when the 23 month sentence would have been completed. Pardoned of all remaining charges, he may be able to serve the remaining amount of his charges in a half-way house, since the jail-term has been suspended.Vick the former quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, who draw massive crowds for the NFL franchise, is no doubt sorry. He has lost, what was, the most lucrative contract in the history of the NFL, valued at 130 million dollars. He was in the top 10 biggest earners among American athletes. Now he has been made insolvent, with his contract cancelled, since the NFL commissioner suspended him indefinitely from the Association. Now earning less than a dollar a day in prison, paying for the considerable expenses for relatives, he has also lost his hefty endorsements, while his current investments have flopped. The No. 1 draft pick in 2001, Vick was a player with bags of talent, and sometimes known as a one-man team, giving the city of Atlanta hope that their team could one day win a Superbowl. The quarterback who ran as much as he passed, was a rarity, he scored more touchdowns than any other quarterback in the league, making him the most entertaining player to watch.
However that was then, and this is now, everything has effectively dissolved for this once-upon-a time success. His material positions are being gobbled up, as his assets were estimated at twelve million dollars but he has now wracked up twenty million worth of liabilities, due to legal expenses and mismanagement of his finances. He is bankrupt, when he finally gets his freedom, he will be in heavy debt – with three kids and some family like his brother and mother who have never made much. The NFL will be the only possible vocation for him to rid himself and his family of their current troublesome situation. It was the NFL that gave him hope and a shot at being something, it was that institution that took it way. Yes, of course, the dog-fighting was the essential reason for his fall from grace, but that grace was only made possible by the NFL, and how easily it could be taken away from him. Going from one extreme to the next, two stories that are all to familiar in American culture, obtaining infinite fortune and then losing the fortune that was proven to be not so infinite. Vick was the role model for many young African-American athletes, and if he can successfully comeback will attain more admirers. Since his upbringing is all to indicative of the African-American populace: growing up in the projects where drug-dealing and violence is common in everyday life; born to a teenage unmarried couple, of whom the father left leaving the mother to bring up the kids while working two jobs. This is unfortunately all too common in America. For Vick like so many of his famed African-American contemporaries, the only way out was being an entertainer, whether it being a sportsman or an artist – not many lawyers and doctors are made from the upbringing these people receive. And when the small minority who do make it, it comes thick and fast, and near impossible to control the speed of progression from having nothing to everything. Yet is it everything, or just regressive? We’ve seen the results with two famous African American icons, Michael Jackson and O.J. Simpson, they are discouraging examples, but real examples.
Jay Z is a more positive example, he’s kept a cool head on his shoulders, and has become a brilliant entrepreneur in hospitality, fashion and of course music. Except he was a drug-dealer on the streets of New York and this gave him opportunities for him to make contacts in the ‘Rap-game’. He well could have never been here due to his battling lifestyle, however he had no other choice this was the nature of the rough streets he was born into. An even more radical instance is the true story of a real hustler 50 Cent, who was shot multiple times before his first record signing opportunity, but somehow got a second chance and subsequently has made it to the top. That second chance is what Vick will be praying on, at 28 he doesn’t have long left, as a professional footballer he is approaching the latter years of his prime. Especially due to his game, he isn’t a solid distributor like Brett Favre was who had a marathon of a career due to his style. Vick’s style is all about athleticism, and one’s speed decreases as one ages, something that hardly affected Favre, as athleticism was never his strong suit.In saying all that, this is just a microcosm, one magnified example of another African American’s descent. It is not the behaviour of these people that is to blame, but the environment they are constructed in. Environment is heavily assisted in how people are made up, and my point is African Americans aren’t privileged to the greatest situations. Nevertheless it is more complex than simply the economic status they are afforded and then addicted with ridding, but the socio-political bias they are subjected to. It is commonly known that the white man controls the Western world, all the corporations, governments, and influential media, are at the will of the white man. And their hold on the world means societies are structured by their viewpoint on how things are to run. So even-though Jay Z has made it to the tune of his own drum, creating an empire for himself, this is minute in comparison to the fact he is still controlled to an extent. Since the music label he founded ‘Roc-A-Fella’ is owned by Universal Music Group, this company makes up about a quarter of music in the popular market. Hopefully now with an African American leading the country we can see more equal footing, but the president of the United States is actually quite small in retrospect, since corporations hold so much sway over governments. My point is the bias does not go both ways, there are double standards. There are countless cases of how white bankers have been made rich off other people’s credit crises’, of how white lawyers have manipulated laws to allow corporations continue doing unlawful dealing, and of how white politicians have used tax funds for their own purposes. And among these countless cases they have got off scotch free and even applauded in some realms of society.
In any case sure what Michael Vick did was wrong, and the animal right groups have every reason to be angry and berate this individual. His behaviour was shocking and nothing to be proud of, but by condoning him they are missing the big picture. That Vick’s case is everything that is flawed about this concept that anyone can make it in America, whereby the idealized ‘American dream’ is not entirely true, where we aren’t all free with equal
Amen and amen! This sums up this whole situation and where we still are in society pertaining to race and economic relations. It is still a broken system, regardless of who is in the White House. And, until we call it out and deal with it boldly and completely, it will remain broke.
Link to Opinion Piece: ToTheCenter - News: Michael Vick the scapegoat of an unequal system
Earlier this week on Tuesday, the fallen superstar Michael Vick appeared in court for a hearing, to determine the manner of his 23-month sentence that he has been serving in Leavenworth, Kansas, since August 2007. A U.S. federal district court had found him guilty of controlling a dog fighting ring at the home he owned in Surry County, Virginia. This most recent court appearance was to deal with the severity of his crimes, by measuring the remorsefulness of the individual. The subsequent charges were dropped after the judge showed sympathy to Vick’s desperate plea.
He is now scheduled for release on July 20, 2009, as that is when the 23 month sentence would have been completed. Pardoned of all remaining charges, he may be able to serve the remaining amount of his charges in a half-way house, since the jail-term has been suspended.Vick the former quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, who draw massive crowds for the NFL franchise, is no doubt sorry. He has lost, what was, the most lucrative contract in the history of the NFL, valued at 130 million dollars. He was in the top 10 biggest earners among American athletes. Now he has been made insolvent, with his contract cancelled, since the NFL commissioner suspended him indefinitely from the Association. Now earning less than a dollar a day in prison, paying for the considerable expenses for relatives, he has also lost his hefty endorsements, while his current investments have flopped. The No. 1 draft pick in 2001, Vick was a player with bags of talent, and sometimes known as a one-man team, giving the city of Atlanta hope that their team could one day win a Superbowl. The quarterback who ran as much as he passed, was a rarity, he scored more touchdowns than any other quarterback in the league, making him the most entertaining player to watch.
However that was then, and this is now, everything has effectively dissolved for this once-upon-a time success. His material positions are being gobbled up, as his assets were estimated at twelve million dollars but he has now wracked up twenty million worth of liabilities, due to legal expenses and mismanagement of his finances. He is bankrupt, when he finally gets his freedom, he will be in heavy debt – with three kids and some family like his brother and mother who have never made much. The NFL will be the only possible vocation for him to rid himself and his family of their current troublesome situation. It was the NFL that gave him hope and a shot at being something, it was that institution that took it way. Yes, of course, the dog-fighting was the essential reason for his fall from grace, but that grace was only made possible by the NFL, and how easily it could be taken away from him. Going from one extreme to the next, two stories that are all to familiar in American culture, obtaining infinite fortune and then losing the fortune that was proven to be not so infinite. Vick was the role model for many young African-American athletes, and if he can successfully comeback will attain more admirers. Since his upbringing is all to indicative of the African-American populace: growing up in the projects where drug-dealing and violence is common in everyday life; born to a teenage unmarried couple, of whom the father left leaving the mother to bring up the kids while working two jobs. This is unfortunately all too common in America. For Vick like so many of his famed African-American contemporaries, the only way out was being an entertainer, whether it being a sportsman or an artist – not many lawyers and doctors are made from the upbringing these people receive. And when the small minority who do make it, it comes thick and fast, and near impossible to control the speed of progression from having nothing to everything. Yet is it everything, or just regressive? We’ve seen the results with two famous African American icons, Michael Jackson and O.J. Simpson, they are discouraging examples, but real examples.
Jay Z is a more positive example, he’s kept a cool head on his shoulders, and has become a brilliant entrepreneur in hospitality, fashion and of course music. Except he was a drug-dealer on the streets of New York and this gave him opportunities for him to make contacts in the ‘Rap-game’. He well could have never been here due to his battling lifestyle, however he had no other choice this was the nature of the rough streets he was born into. An even more radical instance is the true story of a real hustler 50 Cent, who was shot multiple times before his first record signing opportunity, but somehow got a second chance and subsequently has made it to the top. That second chance is what Vick will be praying on, at 28 he doesn’t have long left, as a professional footballer he is approaching the latter years of his prime. Especially due to his game, he isn’t a solid distributor like Brett Favre was who had a marathon of a career due to his style. Vick’s style is all about athleticism, and one’s speed decreases as one ages, something that hardly affected Favre, as athleticism was never his strong suit.In saying all that, this is just a microcosm, one magnified example of another African American’s descent. It is not the behaviour of these people that is to blame, but the environment they are constructed in. Environment is heavily assisted in how people are made up, and my point is African Americans aren’t privileged to the greatest situations. Nevertheless it is more complex than simply the economic status they are afforded and then addicted with ridding, but the socio-political bias they are subjected to. It is commonly known that the white man controls the Western world, all the corporations, governments, and influential media, are at the will of the white man. And their hold on the world means societies are structured by their viewpoint on how things are to run. So even-though Jay Z has made it to the tune of his own drum, creating an empire for himself, this is minute in comparison to the fact he is still controlled to an extent. Since the music label he founded ‘Roc-A-Fella’ is owned by Universal Music Group, this company makes up about a quarter of music in the popular market. Hopefully now with an African American leading the country we can see more equal footing, but the president of the United States is actually quite small in retrospect, since corporations hold so much sway over governments. My point is the bias does not go both ways, there are double standards. There are countless cases of how white bankers have been made rich off other people’s credit crises’, of how white lawyers have manipulated laws to allow corporations continue doing unlawful dealing, and of how white politicians have used tax funds for their own purposes. And among these countless cases they have got off scotch free and even applauded in some realms of society.
In any case sure what Michael Vick did was wrong, and the animal right groups have every reason to be angry and berate this individual. His behaviour was shocking and nothing to be proud of, but by condoning him they are missing the big picture. That Vick’s case is everything that is flawed about this concept that anyone can make it in America, whereby the idealized ‘American dream’ is not entirely true, where we aren’t all free with equal
MWPRInsight Update: Giants' Burress reports to New York police
This a great case study for The Playbook: Mentoring Initiative. MWPRInsight will follow this one throughout to see how the NFL, the public and others manage the situation with Burress.
MWPR Client News
MWPR Client News:
Ex-NFL player back at Woodlawn
At his old high school, former 'hardhead' helps students get their heads straight
By Arin Gencer arin.gencer@baltsun.com
November 30, 2008
For the past several months, former NFL safety Keion Carpenter has been going back to school.Roaming the halls of Woodlawn High School, he slips into classrooms for lessons on federal versus state government powers. He stops to chat with teachers and students between classes.
And when the dismissal bell rings, Carpenter, 31, joins the varsity football players as they practice, exchanging quips with and shouting instructions at the athletes during grueling exercises.For Carpenter, who graduated from Woodlawn in 1995, the time spent with students as a volunteer coach and mentor is a chance to show them life's possibilities - and teach them what's necessary to turn their potential into reality.
"I want my presence, being here, to be an inspiration to them," said Carpenter, who played football and basketball at the Baltimore County school. "Hopefully, they can look at me and say, 'Wow, this guy, he went to school here, he made it. He went on to college, went on to the pros, and now he's giving back.'"Carpenter's path from Woodlawn is one that many of the young Warriors would like to take: full athletic football scholarship to Virginia Tech, then a career in the National Football League as a safety for the Buffalo Bills and the Atlanta Falcons before retiring in 2006.
"He's just one success story of many, but he's the one that's right there on the front line," said Brian W. Scriven, Woodlawn's principal. "He's achieved what so many dream of achieving."Scriven recently took the lead at the newly restructured school, where about 55 percent of seniors have met state test requirements for graduation - and 46 percent of last school year's students received free or reduced-price meals, an indicator of low family income.
Carpenter credits Scriven, who was head football coach when he played for the Warriors, with saving him, acting as the father he didn't have. He wants to support Scriven's mission to turn the school around, Carpenter said.A self-described "hardhead" with a "terrible attitude" as a student, he said he can relate to the more difficult individuals, too."I tell them all the time, 'I sat in the same classrooms that you sat in, I walked the same halls, I ate in the same cafeteria,'" said Carpenter, who splits his time between Maryland and his home in Georgia.
These days, he's in those classrooms and halls regularly - although he has no plans to revisit cafeteria food.One day, Carpenter stood near Woodlawn's front entrance as students spilled out of classrooms. He easily picked out those he knew."What's up, man? Good luck today," he said as he slapped hands with several junior varsity football players, who had a game later.As the halls cleared, he shouted to a student strolling by, "You need to go to class, chump!"
"My teacher's not in there," the student replied."You've still got to go to class," Carpenter shot back."It's more than just to show up on the football field," he said in an interview, explaining his presence in the building. "I want them to know that it's more of an importance to be a better student. … If you don't take your books just as much as you take practice, then you're not going to be able to play football.
"For many of the teens at Woodlawn, the coaches "are their fathers and their role models," said Michael Sye, the school's athletics director.
Having "Coach Keion" around encourages and motivates them, the athletes said.
"He's been there before, so he knows how to get to where we want to go," said senior Delontai Bruton, a running back. "He's giving us something that most of us thought we'd never have."
"What he is doing is really special," said senior Rudy Lee Daniel, a safety. "He could be doing something else instead of coming back, giving back to his community."Gary Servance, a senior and running back, said Carpenter is "giving us a taste of what the future life could be like - if we just stay on track."His involvement also speaks to a "level of commitment and perseverance that we're trying to transfer to our students," Scriven said. "They really need to understand some of the sacrifices … all of those coaches are making to try to have a positive impact on their lives."
For Carpenter, that relationship extends beyond the football field. He is like a big brother to the students - someone they can text with questions about sports and more personal subjects, including their plans for life after Woodlawn. He plans to work with the basketball team, for which many of his students also play.
"He doesn't approach us as, 'I'm a coach, respect me,' but more so, 'I'm somebody you can talk to,'" said David Williams, the quarterback.Carpenter has also made a commitment to helping them through the college application process, talking to them about colleges they're interested in, what they need to do to prepare themselves academically - and offering to call coaches on their behalf.
"He's right there - you can ask him anything," Daniel said, adding that Carpenter is "the easiest person to get to."Williams said Carpenter's presence is "kind of like that edge that you need.""It's just a hope," Williams said. "Somebody can make it that came out of here - why can't I?"
keion carpenter
Age: 31
Education: Woodlawn High, Class of 1995; Virginia Tech, Class of 1999
Career: Played safety for the Buffalo Bills and Atlanta Falcons; retired 2006
Current activities: founder of Carpenter House, a Baltimore-based nonprofit foundation to help single parents and low-income families become homeowners; volunteer football coach, Woodlawn High School; president of for-profit advocacy organization For My Kids (FMK)
Residence: Splits time between Georgia and Maryland
Family: Father of three
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.co.woodlawn30nov30,0,7011523.story
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